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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · bass · fine · current · leaves · racket · rush · board

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. current — electric
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fine — all right
  9. current — of water
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. board — to get on
  12. bass — low music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. current — happening now
  24. pound — a weight

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com